Fortune's Wheel: A Podcast History of Our Medieval Story

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England

EPISODE 91: The Sack of Peterborough

The outlaw strikes again. In the second chapter of Hereward the Exile’s legend, the fight against Norman domination takes a darker turn. As East Anglia erupts and a sacred abbey falls to flame and fury, one message rings loud and clear: the English are not done resisting.

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Music for this episode is called “Psycho” by Alex Besss (not a typo on the last name). Check him out at https://uppbeat.io/t/alex-besss/psycho [License code: Z56NEGWX66PXWD2G]

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England

EPISODE 90: Hereward the Exile

We begin the legend of Hereward the Wake—a rebellious spark left smoldering in the ashes of William’s brutal conquest. Outlawed, underestimated, and driven by fury, Hereward becomes something else entirely: a folk hero. This is the story of resistance born from ruin.

NOTE: Please forgive my voice. It’ll heal and get back to normal in time, but I’ve been struggling with a bout of the 'rona recently, hence the delay in recording and publishing episodes. My apologies. Thanks for sticking around. You all are incredibly appreciated. Take care. Stay healthy, friends.

No More Paywalls! How?

If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!

NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down of any paywalls! 

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Music:

Music for this episode is called “Psycho” by Alex Besss (not a typo on the last name). Check him out at https://uppbeat.io/t/alex-besss/psycho [License code: Z56NEGWX66PXWD2G]

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England

EPISODE 89: A Scottish Marriage

We head north to Scotland, where King Malcolm III makes a move that will echo for generations: marrying Margaret, sister of the last true heir of the House of Wessex. In this union of sword and saint, we see not just political maneuvering—but the shaping of future kingdoms. It's 1070, and the ripples of William’s conquest are lapping at every shore.

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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!

NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down of any paywalls! 

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Music:

“Beyond Time” by Danijel Zambo

Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/danijel-zambo/beyond-time

License code: 8TGHY8YXD5D73OVH

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England

EPISODE 88: Reeling

Amidst war, rebellion, and scorched earth, tragedy strikes the royal house. William and Matilda’s son Richard, once a living symbol of their growing dynasty, dies suddenly in a hunting accident in the New Forest. In a world where legacy is everything, the loss of an heir casts a long, dark shadow over the crown.

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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!

NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down of any paywalls! 

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Music:

Music for this episode is called “Psycho” by Alex Besss (not a typo on the last name). Check him out at https://uppbeat.io/t/alex-besss/psycho [License code: Z56NEGWX66PXWD2G]

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England

EPISODE 87: Analysis of a Harrying

I won’t pretend that I even came close to a definitive answer to my lingering questions regarding William’s actions in the North during the winter of 1069 - 1070, but these are my thoughts and how I tried to work some of it all out, trying to come to terms with how such a thing could have happened in the first place. I hope I did the general discourse on the subject at least a little justice; however, admittedly, this is hardly a conclusion on the matter. Maybe one day we’ll have a better understanding how such atrocities can happen to our fellow humans. Until then, I suppose just lingering questions…

Members-Only Series on Patreon:

Don’t forget to head over to Patreon, as well, to hear an entirely new series on the what’s happening around England and Normandy while William becomes the conqueror of legend! For only a few bucks per month, you can hear these fascinating tales of how seemingly unconnected events and decisions made in places like Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other places directly affect the eventual Norman Conquest of the region! Every dime donated will be put directly back into the show, so I hope you consider becoming a Patreon member!

Just follow this link to our Patreon page to peruse the right “subscription” for you: https://www.patreon.com/FortunesWheelPodcast.

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Music:

Music for this episode is called “Psycho” by Alex Besss (not a typo on the last name). Check him out at https://uppbeat.io/t/alex-besss/psycho [License code: Z56NEGWX66PXWD2G]

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England

EPISODE 86: The Harrying of the North

Today, we ride straight into the storm. The year is 1070, and in the smoldering wake of rebellion, King William unleashes a campaign of devastation the likes of which England has never seen. Villages are burned. Fields are salted. The dead go unburied. This is no mere suppression—it’s calculated annihilation. This is the Harrying of the North. And it will echo through English memory for centuries.

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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!

NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down of any paywalls! 

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YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

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Music:

Music for this episode is called “Psycho” by Alex Besss (not a typo on the last name). Check him out at https://uppbeat.io/t/alex-besss/psycho [License code: Z56NEGWX66PXWD2G]

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England

EPISODE 85: The Last Straw

Today, the Normans face their most humiliating defeat yet on English soil. But what follows isn’t retreat—it’s vengeance. William responds with unrelenting fury in what becomes one of the darkest chapters in England’s medieval story: the Harrying of the North.

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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!

NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down of any paywalls! 

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YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

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Music:

Music for this episode is called “Psycho” by Alex Besss (not a typo on the last name). Check him out at https://uppbeat.io/t/alex-besss/psycho [License code: Z56NEGWX66PXWD2G]

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England

EPISODE 84: A Deadly Game of Tug-of-War

With Edwin and Morcar’s rebellion snuffed out, William the Conqueror isn’t catching his breath anytime soon. In this episode, we follow the king-duke as he dashes between England and Normandy, stamping out unrest and managing a kingdom that seems ready to boil over at any moment. It’s a chaotic, backbreaking era for a ruler trying to hold everything together with grit and grit alone.

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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!

NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down of any paywalls! 

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YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

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Buy Me A Coffee!

Music:

Music for this episode is called “Psycho” by Alex Besss (not a typo on the last name). Check him out at https://uppbeat.io/t/alex-besss/psycho [License code: Z56NEGWX66PXWD2G]

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England

EPISODE 83: Edwin & Morcar's Rebellion

Before we charge forward in the story of the Norman Conquest, it’s time to regroup. In this episode, we lay the groundwork for one of the most important regional uprisings of the period—led by the earls Edwin and Morcar. Their rebellion in 1069 wasn’t just defiance; it was desperation. And what followed would shape England’s north for generations.

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If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!

NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down of any paywalls! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

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Music:

Music for this episode is called “Psycho” by Alex Besss (not a typo on the last name). Check him out at https://uppbeat.io/t/alex-besss/psycho [License code: Z56NEGWX66PXWD2G]

SEASON 5: The Norman Conquest of England

EPISODE 82: 1069

Rebellions in the north. Foreign invasions. Smoldering resentment across the land he just conquered. William may have won the crown in 1066, but in 1069, he’s learning what it costs to keep it. This is the year everything could’ve unraveled.

No More Paywalls! How?

If you believe in what’s happening here – bringing our shared history to life, warts and all, free to the public with absolutely no more paywalls…ever…please consider donating to my caffeine-mediated research and writing through the website/app Buy Me A Coffee! With opportunities for one-time donations and even a monthly donation plan, you can voluntarily contribute to the continuation of this show. I would be eternally grateful!

NOTE: DISREGARD ANY MENTION OF PATREON. That account has been closed in the process of tearing down of any paywalls! 

Social Media:

YouTube: Fortune’s Wheel Podcast

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/fortunes.wheel.3 

X: https://twitter.com/WheelPodcast

Buy Me A Coffee!

Music:

Music for this episode is called “Psycho” by Alex Besss (not a typo on the last name). Check him out at https://uppbeat.io/t/alex-besss/psycho [License code: Z56NEGWX66PXWD2G]